Date:02/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/02/stories/2007050218060100.htm

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Workplace oppression continues even as another May Day goes by

Special Correspondent

`Assets of rich going up, workers' condition deteriorating'

UNITED: Members of Karnataka Domestic Workers' Union at a May Day rally in Bangalore on Tuesday. — PHOTO: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: Homita J., Sharavathi H.C. and Sunita K.H., young workers in their twenties, have experienced workplace oppression at its worst.

Operators in the production department of an American MNC in Jigani industrial area, they and their colleagues have faced physical and psychological torture for asking for their fundamental rights — fair wages, the right to form a union, and the right to be treated with dignity. Twenty-eight of their colleagues were dismissed for taking the lead in a struggle for these demands.

"We were on relay fast for a month. I had to be hospitalised. Not a single Minister came to ask us why we were protesting," said Ms. Sharavathi. Ms. Homita added that company-hired goondas thre-atened and beat them. Work conditions were inhuman, Ms. Sunita said. "They do not show consideration for even pregnant women and expect them to work for eight hours at a stretch, often compelling them to do overtime."

These young women were among the 600-odd workers who participated in the May Day rally organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Rally, CITU State unit secretary V.J.K. Nair said Mr. Kumaraswamy would do well to remember that the genesis of the anti-Congress wave after the Emergency was the result of the consolidated efforts of the labour force.

Speaking about the growing divide between the rich and the poor in Bangalore, Mr. Nair said those with assets over Rs. 10 lakh crore were on the rise and an aeroplane landed in the city every three minutes. While this pointed to generation of wealth, the condition of labourers was deteriorating, he said. Contractualisaton of work was on the rise and as many as 10 lakh workers in Bangalore worked for 12 hours a day, he said.

Addressing the May Day meeting of the All India Trade Union Congress, writer and editor G. Ramakrishna said workers faced the threat of losing their jobs if they demanded their rights. He cautioned workers against "cultural dictatorship". Veteran AITUC leader M.C. Narasimhan addressed the meeting.

Several other labour organisations, including Karnataka Griha Karmikara Sangha, United Trade Union Centre (Lenin Sarani), and Karnataka Domestic Workers' Union, also held May Day programmes.

Political parties also observed May Day. Janata Dal (Secular) meeting was addressed by Minister for Forests C. Chennigappa who said the coalition Government had taken up several schemes for the welfare of labourers.

At the KPCC May Day celebrations, Union Minister of State for Planning M.V. Rajasekharan and Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways H.K. Muniyappa called upon the unorganised workers to avail benefits of various programmes launched by the Union Government.